Cotton-harvester.



No. 783,792. 7 PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905. G. LISPENAHD.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLIUATION FILED .1'11'11324, 1898.

14 SHEET5-EHEET L WITNESSES: INVENTOR JTTBHWEV,

No. 783,792. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905 Gr. LISPENABD.

GUT'I'GN HABVESTERW APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898 u H I H u H WITNESSES." fi INVENTOI? LMQXQ,

A T'TOR/VEV PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

I LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 SHEETS BHBET 3.

I I II I o l :En: 31f

I lNI/EIVTUI? 601 44 (Ward M W p ATTURNEY WI TH E SSE S w 1 J44 24444 PATEN'T'ED FEB. 28. 1905;

Gr. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVBSTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1119s.

14 SHEETS-811E131 4E.

WI TNESSES:

fly

No! 733,792. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905. G. LISPENARD.

00mm HARVESTER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 24, 1990.

14 sHBETs-sHEET 5.

ATTORNEY i a m n t e a PI 14 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

HIM-

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVBSTER.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 24, 1898.

% Ill PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 7'.

(Z na E 77 i'heases; wfifd l 21444 4 :1 x

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED mm: 24, 1898.

M SHEETS-SHEET 8.

INVEN TOR W/ TNES-S'ES 454%,

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HAEVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 SHBETS SHIBET 9.

(7 IN l/EN TUB 16076.2 w arwawi ATTORNEY PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

7h? ATTORNEY G LISPENARD COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

: Z Z I Z I 2 I a m L:

No. 783,792. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905., G. LISPENARD.

COTTON HARVESTEE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 13 glrw g No. 788,792. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. LISPENARD. COTTON ,HARVESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1898.

14 $HBB'lS-SHEET 14.

M" A y ay Q6 A TTORIIEY STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

GEORGE LISPENARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSlUNOh. TO SOLOMON K. LIOH'IENSIEIN, TRUSTEE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COTTON-HAFKVE$TEH..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,792, dated February 28, 1905.

Application filed June 24, 1898. Serial No. 684,432.

do it known that 1, Gnonen LISPENARI'), a citizen of the United States, resid ing at the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ootton-l' arvesters, of which the following is a s 'iecilicatirm.

My invention relates to improvements in the class of cottoirharvesters in which a main frame carried on suitable wheels is provided with endless traveling pickercarriers, which carriers support rotative picker stems or hackles between which the cotton-bushes are received as the machine travels along the rows of bushes.

One object of theinvention is to provide improvements in the main and auxiliary frames of the harvester whereby the operative part of the machine can be properly carried and certain useful adjustments can be made.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for supporting and opcrating the picker stems or hackles, so that their endless carriers will have proper sup port at all points. This portion of the invention embraces a novel arrangement of the parts whereby when the rotating picker-stems are in contact with the bushes said stems Will be drawn laterally of the bushes to cause more perfect picking of the cotton from the bolls. Furthermore, the arral'igemei'it is such that the cottonbushes will lirst be met by a body or wall of closely-intermingled picker-stems which gradually separate as the bush is passed, whereby the bush is gradually released from the action of the picker-stems to reduce injury to the bush and to the unripe cottonbolls.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of picker-stems whereby guards are provided close to the hackle-teeth to prevent sticks, &c., from being carried away with the picked cotton. The arrangement is such, also, that the picker or hackle saws or teeth can be readily removed or replaced in the picker-stem and also so that the stems can be readily removed from or adjusted on their suprmrting-bars in various positions to enable ripe cotton to be picked according to its position on the bushes without operating on unripe cotton.

Furthermore, the invention consists in the novel details of improvement and the combi nations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

RGfQl'Cl'lCU is to be had to the accom pan ying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy improved cotton-harvester complete. Fig. 2 is a partly broken plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitmlinal sectional view on the plane of the line 3 3 in Fig. 2 looking from the left. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the machine on the plane of the line 5 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a partly-broken side elevation of a portion of the machine, showing an arrai'igement of combs or brushes for removing cotton from the picker-stems. Fig. 7 is a, perspective view showing the main frame and the auxiliary or suspended frame which carries the main operative parts of the machine, also showing the means of adjustment between the two frames and other parts of the machine. Fig. 8 is a vertical detail sectional view, on larged, showing the means for supporting and operating the picker-stems. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view, enlarged, of one of the tucker-stems. Fig. 10 is a crosssection thereof on the plane of the line 10 it) in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a partly-sectional rmrspectire view, enlarged, of one of the picker or hackle saws. Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing the supporting-bar for the picker-stem, the means for connecting the latter with the former, the means for rotatiz'ig the pickerstem and for guiding and supporting the bar as it travels around from the inside to the outer side of the machine. Fig. 13 is a detail plan view showing means for traversing the picker-stems to and ,fro and for connecting the picker-stem-supporting bars with their supporting and. operating chains. Fig. 14ris a substantially similar view in section, sl'iowiug the rail and rollers for guiding the picker-stem-sn rpm-ting bars around in line 2 vss,

with the operating sprocket-wheel. Fig. 15 is a detail vertical section on the plane of the line 15 15 in Fig. 1st. Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view showing a movable connection between the operating-chain and the pickerstem-supporting bar. Fig. 17 is a face view of one of the picker or hackle saws. Fig. 18 is an edge view thereof. Figs. 19 to 27illustrate a modification, and of this modification Fig. 19 is a top plan view. Fig. 20 is a front view of said modification, partly in section. Fig. 21 is a vertical section looking inwardly on the line 21 21 of Fig. 19. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of one of the picker-stemcarrier bars detached seen from the interior. Fig. 23 is an end view of the picker-stemcarrier mechanism. Fig. 2st is a horizontal section on the line 2a 24, Fig. 20. Fig. 25 is a similar section on the line 25 25 of the same figure, and Figs. 26 and 27 are details showing the mode of attachment of the pickerstems to their carriers.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which similarnumerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, the number 1 indicates the main frame of the harvester, which is mounted on suitable wheels 2 2. The main portion of this frame is in substantially the form of a yoke, having a top horizontal cross-bar 1 and depending bars 1" 1" at the ends thereof, as in Fig. 7. The parts 1 1" are preferably in the form of channel-irons, and the axles 2 of the wheels 2 are connected with the bars 1 1", whereby the frame is suspended with the cross-bar 1 uppermost. The bar 1" may be provided with a plurality of apertures 1 to receive the axles' 2, so that the frame can be raised and lowered relatively to the ground.

1 1 are horizontal channel-bars connected to the bars 1" by braces 1, and 1* represents the rods connecting the bars 1. 1, and 1, as shown in Fig. 7.

\Vithin the main frame 1 is an auxiliary frame 3, which is suspended from the bars 1 1 1. (See Fig. 7.) This auxiliary frame is shown composed .of longitudinal bars 3 3, from which depend uprights 3 3 3" on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, and the lower ends of these uprights are connected in series by longitudinal channel-bars 3 all as clearly shown in Fig. 7. As also shown in said figure, the bars 3" 3 converge toward the front of the machine for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

The auxiliary frame 3 is adjustably connected with the main framel to enable the width of the space between the uprights 3 3 3 to be altered, as well as to change the degree of convergence of the longitudinal bars 3 and 3". For this purpose 1 have shown the bars 1, 1, and 1 as provided with slots if, which receive bolts or screws 4, that extend from the bars 3, and pass through plates 1, that overlie the slots 1. The slots 1 in bar 1 also serve to allow adjustment of certain shafts, as hereinafter explained.

The auxiliary frame 3 carries the mechanism which operates the picker-stems, and for this purpose at or near opposite ends of the longitudinal bars 3 3 are journaled vertical shafts 5 and 5, (see Figs. 3 and g) and the shafts 5 at the front of the machine are stepped in suitable bearings 5 on the lower bars 3" and project through the upper bars 3 and carry at their upper ends miter-wheels 6, by which they are operated. Adjustable bearings may be provided for the upper ends of the shafts 5, inasmuch as these shafts project through the slots 1 in the cross-bar 1 of the main frame, whereby said shafts can be adjusted laterally with the bars 3. The rear shafts 5 at their upper ends are journaled in suitable bearings 7 of the bars 31, (see Fig. 5,) and at their lower ends said shafts are journaled in adjustable bearings 7 carried by the lower bars 3 these bearings 7 being adjustable longitudinally of the bars 3 by means of slots 7 in said bars, which receive bolts 7. (See Figs. 5 and 7.) The upper bearings for the shafts 5 are preferablysimilarly arranged; but of course I do not limit my invention to this particular form of means for taking up the slack in the operatingchains. Upon the shafts 5 5" are secured horizontally-disposed sprocket-wheels 8 near opposite ends of said shafts, around which sprocketwheels pass endless chains 9. (See Figs. 8, 13, and 14:.) The webs of these chains lie horizontal, and they also travel horizontally and are operated by rotation of the shafts 5.

10 represents vertical bars connecting the upper and lower chains 9 in pairs on the respective sides of the machine, these bars 10 carrying the pickerstems.

While the bars 10 may be suitably connected in other ways with the chains 9, 1 preferably provide the following arrangement: From the intermediate links 9" of the chain 9 project pins or studs 12, which enter apertures 10 in the respective bars 10. (See Figs. 8, 13, and 16.) These studs 12are threaded at theirouter ends and receive nuts 12, which preferably enter countersunk recesses 10" in the outer sides of the bars 10. the apertures 1O being preferably elongated, as shown, to allow the studs 12 to have internal movement therein. (See Fig. 16.) By this means as the vertical bars 10 travel around the sprocketwheels 8 the bars 10 are permitted proper freedom of movement. .(See Figs. 13 and 14.)

The picker-stems 11 are constructed and supported on the bars 10, as follows: 11represents toothed disks or saws, each having a central aperture 11 preferably square, through which passes a correspondinglyshaped rod or shaft 13. 11 represents guards 0r tubular rings placed between the adjacent disks or saws 11, which latter are arranged in series of graduated dian'ieters, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, which guards serve to hold the disks 11 at stated distances apart. The disks or saws 11 have inwardlyprojecting lugs 11", against which the guards 11 rest, as shown in Fig. 9, whereby when the series of guards and. disks or saws 11 are put together they will be retained in their proper relative positions; The lugs 11 may be struck up from the metal of the disks 11, as shown in Fig. 1.1.. The larger or inner disk 11 of the series oi. disks or saws rests against the plate list, which is carried by a guard or shield 14!, that fits up close to a flange 15 on a bearing 15, that is bolted to the respective bar 10. (doe Fig. 8.) The flange 15 has apertures 15", which receive the bolts 15, and the guard .l-it incloscs said bolts on the outer side of the bar to prevent cotton and sticks from being caught thereon, altl'iough it is evident that the guard 1 1 can rest directly against the bar 10 while still protecting the bolt. The plate 14 also has an aperture through which the rod 13 projects. (See Fig. 9.)

16 is a spur'wheel having a tubular projection or sleeve 16, which rotates in the bearing 15, and through which the rod 13 passes. (Eeee Fig. 9.) Upon the rod 12) and located within the sleeve I16 is a bushing or sleeve 13, and on the inner end of the rod 13 is a threaded extension 13 which receives a nut 13", the latter overlying the bushing 13 and being smaller than the bearing in the sleeve 1h", as shown in Fig. 9, so that the rod 13 and the bushing 13 can be pulled through the spur-wheel 16 and the sleeve 16 when it is desired to remove or replace the ucker-stem. At the outer end of the rod 13 a head or washer 13", which rests against the outermost or smallest toothed disk or saw 11, so that when the nut 13 is drawn up the parts 11, 11", 13, 14., and 13 will be held in a compact structure. The rod 13, the bushing 13, and the sleeve 16 have alined apertures 17 l7 17, res iiectively, through which passes a gatherpin 18, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, whereby the sleeve 16 is connected with the shaft 13 and bushing 13, so that they will all rotate together. The guard 14 has one or more ap ertures 1 t, through which a suitable tooth can be inserted to withdraw or adjust the gatherpin 18 when the picker-stem is to be removed or applied to the bar 10. The surface of the sleeve 16 has a circumferential groove 16", and the bearing has a hole 15 leading from the exterior surface of the bearing to the interior surface thereof and there registering with the groove 16" and is adapted to receive a pin 19, which will pass into the groove 16", and thus hold the parts 16 15 together, while still allowing the sleeve 16 to rotate within the bearing 15. The pickerstem being thus organized into a compact structure can be removed and replaced at any time in accordance with the position with which it is desired to operate relatively to the ripe cotton on the bushes, as well as when it is desired to replace a broken hackle, disk, or saw 11. The guard la serves to prevent cotton from winding on the hubs, sleeves, or bearings 15, 16, and 13 and on the pin 18.

The picker-stems 11 are or may be arranged in vertical rows of any number of stems on the bars 10, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4c, and as the surfaces of the picker-stems are substantially cone-like the opposing series of pickerstems are enabled to pass each other at the central portion oi the machine, while the spaces between the corresponding picker stems are nactically closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

.It will be understood that there are a setot' endless chains, upright bars 10, and pickerstems 11 on each sideoi the machine, as shown in Figs. 2, 1, and 5, and the two sets of endless carriers converge toward the front oi the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the cot ton-bushcs will be met by a vertical wall oi picker-stems, which are close together,with no space between the inner ends of them, as shown in Fig. 1, and that owing to the rearward divergence of these endless carriers the picker-stems will have a lateral motion relatively to the cotton-bush while in contact thcrewith, for the reason that as theharvestertravels forwardly the picker-stems will be carried rearwardly at about the same speed that the machine travels forwardly. By this means while the stems are in contact with the bush and the machine traveling forwardly the rearward line of LliVGlg'Gl'lCB of the piekerstems causes them to move laterally or across the bush while in contact therewith, so that when the harvester has passed from a bush the latter will be practically freed from the picker-stems, owing to the distance between the stems at the back of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2.

The picker-stems are caused to rotate whilein contact with the COh'lJ01ll)[lSl16S to pick the cotton from the bolls,as follows: 20, Figs. 5 and 8, represents racks having their teeth extending upwardly and located along the inner por tion of the machine parallel to the inner surface of the upright bars 10, upon which racks the spur-wheels 16 are adapted to travel, so that as the bars 10 are carried along the wheels 16 will rotate, and thereby will turn the corresponding picker-stems in the proper direction to pick the cotton from the bolls. There is one rack for each horizontal row of pickerstems, and these racks are carried by the uprights 3" 3"3", which uprights have horizontal projecting lugs 20, to which these racks are connected, whereby the spur-wheels 16 have freedom of movement relatively to the uprights 3" 3 3. (See Fig. 12.)

To further regulate the degree of divergence between the inner walls of the picker-stem carriers 9 10, the rear sprocket-wheels 8 may be of less diameter than the forward sprocket- IIO wheels and so set that a line drawn through the peripheries of the corresponding forward and rearward sprocket-wheels on the outer sides shall be parallel, or nearly so, to the frame of the machine, while the lines drawn through the peripheries of the corresponding sprocket-wheels on the inner sides shall converge relatively to each other toward the front of the machine. lVith this arrangement also the width of the bars 3 3 3 would vary, as shown in Fig. 7.

After the picker-stems have rotated in one direction to pick the cotton from the bolls and as they are carried around to travel forwardly on the outer sides of the machine they are caused to rotate reversely by means of racks 21, carried by the bars 3 3 3 said racks being adapted to engage the spur-wheels 16; but these racks are inverted and overlie said spur-wheels, as shown in Fig. 5, the operation of which will be readily understood.

In order to properly assist in sustaining the bars 10 and to guide them as they travel around the peripheries of the sprocket-wheels 8 8, I provide rails 22, which are curved in line with the sprocketwheels on a circle described around the axis of said wheels, as shown in Fig. 14, which rails are supported by the forward and rearward uprights 3 3 3. By preference these rails 22 are arranged in pairs, as shown, and receive between them rollers 23, which are journaled on studs 2et, carried by the bars 10 and projecting from the inner surfaces thereof. (See Figs. 12, 15.) By this means the studs 12 are relieved from the strain of sustaining the bars 10 as they travel around the sprocket-wheels 8.

As the picker-stems travel forwardly on the outer sides of the machine after they have gathered the cotton from the bushes they are relieved of the cotton, and for this purpose I have shown a series of combs 24, which project inwardly over the picker-stems from the side walls or casings 25, which are suitably supported by the framework of the machine. \Vhile there could be one of such combs 24 used for each picker-stem, I have devised a plan to reduce the number of such combs, at the same time eflectually removing the cotton from the picker-stems. arrange the combs 24 in two diagonal rows, as shown in Fig. 6, whereby each picker-stem will be acted upon by only two combs 24, one forwardly of the other. The line of inclination of these combs is from the forward end of the machine rearwardly, so that as the picker-stems are carried forwardly on the outer side of the machine in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 6 the cotton that is disengaged from the upper row of the pickerstems by the first comb 24: will drop below, and should it be caught by any one of the lower picker-stems it will be carried to the comb corresponding to that stem and removed thereby, and so on, and, furthermore, should For this purpose I any be carried beyond a comb of the rearward series it will be caught by the corresponding comb of the next forward-inclined series of combs and by it disengaged from the pickerstem. By this means the power required to disengage the cotton from the picker-stems is greatly reduced from what would be necessary were a comb provided for each picker-stem of the machine.

Any suitable means may be provided for operating the picker-stem carriers, or, in other words, for operating the endless chains and their uprights or bars 10. I have shown short shafts 26, journaled in suitable hearings on the main frame and provided with the sprocketwheels 27, over which pass chains 28 from the sprocketwheels 29, connected with the wheels 2.

30 is a horizontal shaft on the cross-bar 1 of the main frame, which is adapted to be rotated by and with the shaft 26. For this purpose the shaft 26 has connected with it a toothed rim or portion of a clutch 31, which is adapted to be engaged by a toothed clutch-sleeve 32, mounted on the shaft 30 and connected therewith by the usual key and' groove or slot to permit it to slide on said shaft, While causing said shaft to rotate with it. This clutch 32 is shown held in engagement with the clutch portion 31 by means of a spring 33 around on the shaft 30 and bearing against a collar 34:, carried by said shaft.

35 represents levers pivotally carried by brackets 36 on the bar 1, said levers being connected by a bar 37 so that they will move toward and from each other in unison. The levers may be operated by suitable means, as by a hand-lever 38, suitably pivoted upon the frame.

Upon the shaft 30 are secured miter-wheels 40, which mesh with the miter-wheels 6, so that when the clutches 31 32 are in engagement the shafts 5 5 can be rotated and when said clutches are disengaged said shafts will remain stationary.

In order to carry the cotton away from the picker-stems when it has been removed therefrom by the combs 24, I provide a suitable elevator or conveyer, which is arranged and operated as follows: The casing 25 on each side of the machine is provided with an inwardly lower web or floor portion which projects under the outer series of picker-stems and may be connected to the longitudinal bars 3, (see Fig. 5,) which will also assist in supporting the casing on the framework of the machine, the casing inclosing the sides and ends of the machine, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 3, and 5. 4:1 is an endless conveyer or elevator which travels along the lower web or floor of the casing 25 beneath the outer series of pickerstems, passing under the sprocket-wheels 42,

arranged in pairs at the lower corners of the casing, and passing over the upper sprocketwheels &3, similarly arranged at the upper corners thereof and guided midway of the machains carried thereby. its illustrated in Fig.

chine at the top by similarly-spaced guide sprocket-wheels 44. These sprocket-wheels 44 are shown carried by blocks orbearings 45, adjustably mounted on uprights 46, extending from the sides 1 of the main frame. These blocks 45 are shown provided with slots 45, which receive bolts 45" to permit adjustment.

The elevator 41 consists of two parallel endless chains connected by a suitable webbing 41, (see Fig. 5,) from which project fingers 47, which serve to carry the cotton along and upwardly as it drops from the picker-stems. The cotton drops from the carrier as it passes along over the top of the machine and falls upon a suitable platform or receptacle. A fterward from each platform it can be gathered, as desired.

The elevator 41 maybe operated as follows: U pon the shaft 30 is a sprocket-wheel 50, over which passes a suitable chain 51, which engages a sprocket-wheel 52 on a horizontal shaft 53, journaled in suitable bearings 54, carried by cross-bars or supports 55, supported by uprights 56, extending up from the casing 25. (See Figs. 3, 4, and 5.) ()n the shaft 53 are secured the smocket-wheels 43 at the forward part of the machine, over which the chains of. the carrier 41 pass (see Figs. 2 and and by which said chainsare operated.

It will be understood that when the clutches 31 32 are in engagement the picker-stem carriers and cotton-carriers 41 will be operated simultaneously and when said clutches are separated said carriers will cease to operate.

57 represents vertical plates or guides arranged parallel to the front and rear walls of the shield 25. Between each plate and shield the cotton-carrier 41 travels, as in Fig. 3, whereby the cotton is held upon the carrier as it rises to the top of the machine, the parts 25 57 thereby forming a chute or channel for the passage of the cotton.

in the modification illustrated in Figs. 19 to 27 to the ends of the upper longitudinal bars 60 are riveted angle-irons 61, which arejoined to the ends in pairs by the channel-irons 62, from the lowerendsof which extend inwardly the plates or bars 63. upon which are secured the lower longitudinal bars 64. Said bars ()4 are also suspended from the bars 60 by hangers e5. 66 represents upper and 67 lower bearings for the vertical rear shafts (38, as shown in Fig. 21, and these hearings are made adjustable longitudinally on the bars 60 64 by means of the screw-bolts (39, working in threaded extensions 70 of said bearings, and at the other end being held in brackets 71,1ixedly secured to said bars 60 64. By this means the distance of the rear vertical shafts (58 from the forward vertical shafts 7 2 can be varied as desired and the chains carrying the picker-stems tightened or slackened, as desired. 7 3 represents the sprocket-wheels on the shafts 72, and 74 the upper and lower sprocket- 24, said chains are provided at regular intervals with lav-links 75, in which are secured clamps 76, clamping the reduced ends 77 of the picker-stem bars 78. Said bars carry each a series of gears 79, actuated in series by intermediate gears 80, said gears being held in place by bolts 81, passed through the bar 78, and a rear plate Said gears are all actuated by means of a gear 83, which is adapted to be operated as the picker-stem carriers are moved along by engagement with upper or lower raclcs. as have been before described. As shown in Figs. 26, 27, the upper gear 79 and the gear 83 can be made in one piece on a sleeve 84, secured to the picker-stem by a pin, as has already been described.

Having now described my invention, what .l claim isa 1. In a cotton-harvcster, the combimttion with a main flame conun-ising a horizontal bar and vertical depending bar secured thereto, of an auxiliary frame zuljustahly suspended within said main frame, said auxiliary frame including a pair of rearwardlyalivcrging members. substantially as described.

2. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main frame. of an auxiliary frame adjustably suspended within said main frame, said auxiliary frame comprising a pair of hori zontally-disposed rearwardly-diverging members, and uprights supporting said diverging members, substantially as described.

3. 1n a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main framecomprisingparallel slotted horizontal bars and vertical depending bars, of an auxiliary frame adjustablysuspended within said main frame, said auxiliary frame comprising two pairs of horizontally-disposed rearwardly-diverging members, and uprights connecting the corresponding members of each pair, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a yoke-like main frame having upper horizontal bars and vertical depending bars connected with the central one of said horizontal bars, with an aux iliary frame consisting of two portions, each portion having an u ppor and lower longitu dinal bar, and intermediate uprights connecting them, and braces extending from the vertical side bar pf the main frame to the horizontal end bars thereof, substantially as described.

The combination of a yoke-like main frame having upper horizontal bars and ver tical (lGlXfl'ltliDg bars connected with the central one of said horizontal bars, with an anxiliary frame consisting of two portions, each portion having an upper and lower longitudinal bar, and interi'nediate uprights connecting them, and braces extending from the vertical side bar of the main frame to the horizontal end bars thereof, and means for adjusting the separate 3ortions of said auxiliary frame laterally, substantially as described.

6. A main frame composed of a transverse bar,havingdepending vertical bars, and transverse end bars, braces connecting said end bars with said vertical bars and tie-rods connecting said horizontal bars, combined with an auxiliaryframe consisting of two portions, each portion having an upper and lower horizontal bar extending lengthwise of the machine and connected by uprights, means for suspending the upper longitudinal bars of the auxiliary frame from the horizontal bars of the main frame, and means for adjusting the portions of said auxiliary frame laterally, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a main frame having horizontal bars and uprights at the outer ends thereof, with an auxiliary frame consisting of two portions having horizontal longitudinal bars connected by uprights, said auxiliary frame being suspended from the horizontal bars of the main frame, with vertical shafts carried near opposite ends of said longitudinal upper and lower bars, sprocketavheels carried by said shafts at their upper and lower portions, endless chains passing over said sprocket-wheels, vertical bars connected with the upper and lower parallel chains on each side of the machine, rotative picker-stems carried by said vertical bars, means for traversin g said endless chains, and means for rotating said picker-stems as they are carried along by said chains, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a main frame having horizontal bars and uprightsat the outer ends thereof, with an auxiliary frame consisting of two portions having horizontal longitudinal bars connected by uprights, said auxiliary frame being suspended from the horizontal bars of the main frame, with vertical shafts carried near opposite ends of said longitudinal upper and lower bars, sprocket-wheels carried by said shafts at their upper and lower portions, endless chains passing over said sprocketwheels, vertical bars connected with the upper and lower parallel chains on each side of the machine, rotative picker-stems carried by said vertical bars, means for traversing said endless chains and means for rotating said picker-stems as they are carried along by said chains, and means for adjusting the longitudinal bars of said auxiliary frame laterally toward and from each other, so as to adjust the picker-stems on opposite sides of the machine nearer to and farther from stems present a vertical wall to a cotton-bush and move outwardly relatively thereto whila in contact therewith, substantially as described.

10. "he combination of a main frame with an auxiliary frame carried thereby, and eomposed of two independent side portions, the forward ends of said portions being inclined toward each other, picker-stems carried by each portion of said auxiliary frame in such position, that they will overlap or intermingle with each other atthe forward end of the machine, means for moving said picker-stems rearwardly on diverging lines, and means for rotating said picker-stems during their rearward travel, whereby said picker-stems present a vertical wall to a cotton-bush and move outwardly, relatively thereto while in contact therewith, substantially as described.

11. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main frame comprising an upper horizontal bar, and a pair of vertical bars depending therefrom, of an auxiliary frame adjustablysus pended therefrom, including a pair of horizontally disposed rea rwardly diverging members, adjustable in relation to each other, intermediateuprights, supporting said diverging members, rackbars carried by said uprights, picker-stems carried by said auxiliary frame, and gearing carried by said auxiliary frame for operating said picker-stems, sul stantially as described.

12. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main frame, of an auxiliary frame adjustably supported by said main frame, said auxiliary frame including a pair of horizontally disposed rearwardly -diverging members, means for adjusting the relative positions of said diverging members, rack-bars carried by said auxiliary frame, picker-stems adapted to travel upon said auxiliary frame, pinions carried by said picker-stems adapted to mesh with said rack-bars, and mechanism for carrying said picker-stems, substantially as described.

13. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main frame, of an auxiliary frame adjustably supported by said main frame, said auxiliary frame including a pair of rear wardlydiverging members, means for adjusting the relative positions of said diverging members, intermediate uprights supporting said diverging members, rack-bars carried by said uprights, gearing carried by said auxiliary frame, and a plurality of picker-stems operated by said gearing and rack-bars, substantially as described.

14. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a main frame comprising a horizontal bar and vertical bars supported thereby, of an auxiliary frame, including a pair of rearwardly-diverging members carried thereby, sprockets mounted in said auxiliary frame at each end of said diverging members, endless chains passing over saidsproekets, and picker- 

